Hack My Pool

[CreedenceTapes]

YES!! Why are they so stupid frustrating?! I probably watched 4-5 YouTube videos, went through step by step tutorials and I STILL mess them up!

I know at this point in my life to allow more time than I think it should take to get one started. I'm sure if we used them regularly we'd master them, but I get them out so rarely that I have to stumble through it every time.

 

[JessBlount617]

I lost a touch of chlorine from 8 am to 10 am. Not too worried about it - I backwashed and rinsed during that time, so I’m gonna chalk it up to that.

Poly bucket is back in action. I gave up on the ratchet straps and used some rope and bungee cords. She’s fine.

I am starting to wonder when I will be done with SLAM. I think my water clarity issues are directly related to my rust/poly bucket collapse… and less to my actual chemical balance. I swept the bottom of the pool and it was “orange cloudy”…

Since I’ve held chlorine around 15-16 for a couple days, I see no algae growth (thankful for vinyl)… should I run a full chemical test today and see where everything sits?

Unless one of you pool magicians can point me to a forum that has someone with rust issues on slam? I’d gladly read up where I can!

As always, yall are saving my pool-life!

#BermudaBlue

 

[Newdude]

I am starting to wonder when I will be done with SLAM.

You're done now but keeping the FC up to keep the iron out of solution so you can filter it.

should I run a full chemical test today and see where everything sits?

Sure. (Ph is valid at 10+ FC)

 

[mc2021]

I think @newdude needs a little more coffee. PH is not valid when FC is over 10. Just don't want to see your progress derailed.

 

[Newdude]

I think @newdude needs a little more coffee

I DO. Nice catch !!!!

 

[Mdragger88]

You want to keep with slam fc until you have filtered out as much iron as possible. Along with meeting the 3 end of slam criteria.
The elevated fc level oxidizes the iron so you can catch it.

After you’re all done you can then form a plan to treat any stains that may have resulted based on their severity & how you intend to winterize the pool.
We usually recommend that people do any stain treatments that require lowering fc (like AA treatment) wait until after the water temps are cooler (60 degrees) since you don’t want algae.
For light stains you may get by with simply using a sequesterant. We can cross that bridge when you’re all cleared up.

Speaking of winterizing…
Do you intend to winterize this pool? (Leave it up year round)
Doing so would prevent this from being a yearly occurrence as you would only need to replace a little bit of water at the beginning of the season.
Just Some things to think about going forward.
For now, Lets get the current situation under control and go from there!

 

[JessBlount617]

It’s Sunday… the coffee doesn’t stop flowing at this house until like 2 pm! ️

Full panel:
FC 16
CC 1.0
PH 8.2+ (see pic)
TA 270
CH 150
CYA 40

So where do we start to balance?

My gut says PH needs to come down to “a healthy range” which means I Pool Math my way down by .4 pts. Easy enough with the on-hand muriatic acid I have…

 

[JessBlount617]

Ahhh hold on… I missed that PH isn’t valid when FC is 10+. So maybe I skip balancing PH, and check my current levels against what is “safe”…

 

[Mdragger88]

It’s Sunday… the coffee doesn’t stop flowing at this house until like 2 pm! ️

Full panel:
FC 16
CC 1.0
PH 8.2+ (see pic)
TA 270
CH 150
CYA 40

So where do we start to balance?

My gut says PH needs to come down to “a healthy range” which means I Pool Math my way down by .4 pts. Easy enough with the on-hand muriatic acid I have…

The ph test is invalid at fc above 10ppm. Often times it reads falsely high. Do not adjust it.
No need to even test ph if fc is that high.
Stick with fc testing only.
If you happen to catch fc 10 or less then you can test & adjust ph at that time

 

[JessBlount617]

So just keep testing FC for a while until it drops to a 10? Do we want mine to drop to a 10? It’s held at 16… I think this is the part that confuses me.

We went “high” to shock… which I understand is a process to kill algae, promote clarity, etc via SLAM. So since I’m exiting SLAM, do we want to let FC decrease?

 

[Mdragger88]

So just keep testing FC for a while until it drops to a 10? Do we want mine to drop to a 10? It’s held at 16… I think this is the part that confuses me.

Maintain slam fc until you pass all 3 end of slam criteria:
Crystal clear water
&
Oclt of 1ppm or less
&
Cc’s of 0.5 or less

If you happen to check fc & it is low you can adjust ph - otherwise let it ride.
People slam for 2 weeks without adjusting ph. It is fine. Its why you adjusted before starting.

We went “high” to shock… which I understand is a process to kill algae, promote clarity, etc via SLAM. So since I’m exiting SLAM, do we want to let FC decrease?

You’re not exiting slam until all the iron is out and you pass all 3 criteria at the same time

 

[JessBlount617]

Okay I think I’m seeing the picture now.

OCLT - run a FC test tonight after the sun goes down - record that #. Tomorrow morning before sunrise, run a FC test - record that #. If there is more than 1 ppm change, we are not done SLAM-ing. (For my case if tonight it’s a 16, and tomorrow morning we drop to a 14…)

For the CC - run that test when? Tonight when I run my evening FC? Tomorrow
morning for my sunrise FC test?

For the rust - we just stay patient and vigilant on the bucket doing its job and hope that stupid thing doesn’t fall into the pool again.

 

[Mdragger88]

Okay I think I’m seeing the picture now.

OCLT - run a FC test tonight after the sun goes down - record that #. Tomorrow morning before sunrise, run a FC test - record that #. If there is more than 1 ppm change, we are not done SLAM-ing. (For my case if tonight it’s a 16, and tomorrow morning we drop to a 14…)

For the CC - run that test when? Tonight when I run my evening FC? Tomorrow
morning for my sunrise FC test?

For the rust - we just stay patient and vigilant on the bucket doing its job and hope that stupid thing doesn’t fall into the pool again.

There’s really no need to do an oclt until the water is clear. Save your sleep

 

[JessBlount617]

My FC is climbing.
8 am 15 (added 12.5% to make up the 16 goal difference)
10 am 15 (added 12.5% to make up the 16 difference)
12:20 pm 18…

I’m not touching it since it’s over goal of 16…

 

[CreedenceTapes]

We usually recommend that people do any stain treatments that require lowering fc (like AA treatment) wait until after the water temps are cooler (60 degrees) since you don’t want algae.

Glad I caught this. I've been planning an AA treatment, but I will now wait till January. My water will never hit 60, but I'm guessing the colder the better. Hopefully 75 degrees and Polyquat 60 will keep the green away.

 

[JessBlount617]

Clarity! It’s happening! I can also see a decent sized chunk? Fluff pile? Of Polyfil on the bottom in the very center of the pool!

 

[JessBlount617]

Also… can we just talk about overall progress?!?!

Fill day May 29 (first pic)
Today June 9 (second pic - taken just now)

 

[JessBlount617]

Clarity! It’s happening! I can also see a decent sized chunk? Fluff pile? Of Polyfil on the bottom in the very center of the pool!

Got the fluff ball! Lighter for size comparison.

 

[JessBlount617]

2:40 FC Test showed I’m down to 15. Previous test was 18. Do I let it decline, or go back to goal 16?

 

[Newdude]

FC up, iron out. Lather, rinse, repeat.